The present invention generally relates to torso exercise devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a torso exercise device comprising an oscillating seat mounted on a resilient spring permitting a user to move his or her torso in any radial direction thereby exercising the muscles of the torso.
Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. A wide variety of exercise devices exist that provide cardiovascular exercise or resistance exercise to various muscle groups of a person's body. The look of a well-defined torso is highly prized, especially among men who desire to have well-defined chest and stomach muscles. In view of this, it comes as no surprise that included among the aforementioned exercise devices are a variety of torso exercise devices.
A desirable feature of a torso exercise device provides for more than a single type of movement (e.g., lateral, longitudinal, pivotal, etc.) of the exerciser's body in order to mimic a wide variety of torso exercises. Another desirable feature of such an exercise device is the ability to be adjusted to meet the physical characteristics of a wide variety of exercisers who vary from person-to-person in terms of body type, height, etc.
Torso exercise devices have been used in professional gyms or fitness centers for many years. However, torso exercise devices designed for use in professional gyms or fitness centers have certain disadvantages when those torso exercise devices are used outside the setting of a professional gym or fitness center as these torso exercise devices can be large, cumbersome, limited in their versatility and are often difficult to operate, transport, and store. Such devices are also relatively expensive. While such devices are generally adequate in the fitness center or gym setting due to the large space available in such settings, such devices do not lend themselves to a household setting. For home use, the exercise device must not only be effective, but also compact and/or collapsible in order to easily transport and store the exercise device. The exercise device must also be relatively simple in operation and inexpensive.
Devices for torso exercises are generally known in the art. For example, one such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,144 which discloses a seat member to a pivotally connected back member including an adjustable resilient spring to provide resistance and absorb impact during abdominal exercise. Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,884 which also discloses a seat member pivotally connected to back member including a resistance means. A further example of a torso exercise device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,171 which discloses a seat member rigidly connected to a back member and a handle pivotally connected to a resilient mechanism. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,611 which teaches a seat pivotally mounted on a frame and at least one handle bar pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to a resistance device. An additional example of a torso exercise device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,450 which discloses an exercise device having a seat member connected to a base frame, a back member pivotally connected to the base frame and two handles pivotally connected to the back cushion and slidably connected to the base frame. A clear drawback to each of these devices is that movement is restricted to one plane, i.e., forward and backward. None of these inventions permit side-to-side movement or movement in any other radial direction.
As outlined above, various attempts have been made to overcome the limitations associated with previous torso exercise devices. However, as pointed out, some of these exercise devices have certain drawbacks. Additionally, these devices are not easily collapsible while others place unnecessary and dangerous strain and stress on the neck and back of the user of the device if the device cannot be adjusted to best suit the physical characteristics of a wide range of users. For example, the same exercise device should be able to be used by a very tall exerciser as well as a very short exerciser so that any size user can obtain optimum results from exercise. Also, for those individuals who travel and do not have access to a gymnasium in order to exercise, it is imperative that the exercise device be portable in nature.
Accordingly, there is a need for a torso exercise device which is suited for home use and enables a user to exercise the muscles of his or her torso in any direction of movement. Such a torso exercise device should be collapsible in order to be easily transported and stored, and also be relatively simple in operation and inexpensive. Preferably, such an exercise device should be adjustable in order to accommodate the size of the user of the device. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.